Some Things Don't Change
by stingslikeabee
Summary: After a rough night, Chuck meets a person while waiting in line. Fluff. Totally AU. It's just a one-shot from a challenge my friend and I had to make any story really. READ AND REVIEW.


_A/N: Amy! This is for you and our stupid challenge. Very AU. AU like, there are no spies, no lies and no rules. Chuck and Sarah can make all the babies they want without Shaw killing them with his ONE look. GRR._

Walking through the dark streets of Burbank a tall, lanky man sighs heavily on the pavement of the sidewalk. The breeze flowing through his hair is chilly so he shoves his hands into his pockets without breaking stride. His classic black all stars scraping the cement with each step, and makes his away across the street. He thinks about the last hour, Chuck knew Hannah wasn't for him but that didn't make the break up any less painful. He knew it wasn't going to last, he knew it was bound to happen and he saw it coming.

He takes a seat on an empty park bench opposite to the Santa Monica Pier. Chuck hides his head in his hands, contemplating how stupid he could have been to think living in Burbank with an $11/hour job could possibly live up to a former life in Paris. He only happened to be on that plane ride, a technical job for an over appreciative customer. He wasn't supposed to meet her, wasn't supposed to like her but he did.

Suddenly feeling hungry, he did miss the planned dinner date with Hannah, he stands back up and starts looking for an open fast food franchise. For 9pm, it was still busy in the pier, kids running around with ice cream, tourists taking pictures and he makes his way through the crowd. Chuck spots a McDonald's and picks up his pace, the line getting longer by the minute. Glazing over the menu, he picks the Big Mac Combo and prepares his cash. The bright lights of the place makes his eyes ache just a little bit but its definitely warmer than outside. It was loud enough he could barely hear himself think.

Taking another look at the line, he figures he has about 3 years until he gets to order. So instead of just standing around, he looks around the restaurant. On his 9 o'clock, he sees a father with his son who's jumping up and down, kind of with the same energy as someone who drank 4 Red Bulls (he would know). He smirks as the father tries to calm him down with his Happy Meal toy but to no avail.

"I'm 8, dad. I want the ice cream now!" Chuck heard him whine.

Shaking his head in amusement, he shifts his attention to someone just over his left shoulder. There's a man standing there, guitar in hand, setting up his little miniature stage. With his guitar case open to the oh, so generous people with their loose change, he starts singing. Frowning at the man's flimsy singlet on this cold night, Chuck doesn't hesitate to take the windbreaker off his back and steps outside. Without so much as a 'Hello', he wraps it quickly around him so he would disrupt his playing. The man throws him a grateful smile and continues on. With that, Chuck simply nods and waits back in the line.

It gradually moves forward and so he resumes his little game. Up at the front, he sees the not-so-friendly looking teenager serving the customers. Her hair covering half her face, heavy make up and the 2 piercings on her lips were a dead give away of that. Despite the late hour and busy night, Chuck notices she smiles every so often at the customers or even co workers as she fetches orders. Before he can think any more about it, someone else catches his attention.

To his right, his gaze falls upon a woman. Her hair was as golden as those found in whatever pirates look for or what leprechauns dance on at the end of a rainbow, pot of gold were they called? They fell in goddess like waves upon her shoulders, shoulders that looked so soft yet could hold the power of a ninja. Her eyebrows in a perfect shape to outline her delicate face. Her eyes, big and blue...and staring right back at him. _Oh well, crap._ Despite what he was thinking, he didn't break her gaze, they were so penetrating yet unreadable. Oddly enough, Chuck felt calm, peaceful even.

"Sir?"

After what felt like, not forever, but a long time, she gazes down at her food. Chuck noticed the extra thickness of pickle mounted in between her buns. _Well that was dirty._ He also notices that she isn't alone. A broad, big man with the biceps of what can only be classified as guns is sitting across from her. _You know, if you're in to the Superman type. _He, apparently, was too busy eating to notice that she had wrapped up the rest of her meal and...

"MISTER?"

Chuck's head snapped to front, too fast it gave him a slight head rush. Blinking rapidly, Chuck flashes a quick apology and smile and makes his way to the counter. He leans in hands on the table and immediately regretted doing so. His now slick hand felt infected with some vile substance. Wincing, Chuck orders his meal and patiently waits on the side. McDonald's was still packed and overcrowding that people were eating standing up. Without his knowing, Chuck's eyes sought out for the blonde angel and finds her talking to the plywood definition of a man. It looked as if he was about ready to leave when she laid a hand on his arm to sit him back down, and she took a quick glance at Chuck. Almost imperceptible, but he caught it.

"Here's your order."

"Thanks," he mumbled quickly and gathered his tray. His feet doing all the talking, they slowly take him towards her table. The man quickly wipes his hands with his napkin and mutters something a long the lines of getting the car ready. With him through the door, Chuck picks up his steps as the woman turns around.

"Hi," she says in a kind voice.

Clearing his throat, he replies, "Hey."

She stands up and cleans up a bit. "I saw what you did for that man outside," she explains without looking at him, "that was very nice of you." He notices that she's even more pretty up close. His eyes widen a bit as the realization dawns on him that she was actually waiting for him to get his food so he could take over their table.

"It was nothing, really."

She finishes up and flashes him smile. Laying his tray on the counter top, he offers one as well. An awkward moment passes, both parties unsure of what to do next. He coughs again and she gazes at her hands. "Thank you for the table," he tries.

"No problem." Another awkward moment.

"Umm, I think you're boyfriend might be wondering where you are," Chuck offers her an escape. The flash of disappointment to come over her facial features were either his imagination or his eyes playing tricks on him.

"Right," she drags on the monosyllabic word. "Bye." And with that, she turns and exits the store. Chuck stands there in an aftershock, staring intently at the door about the woman he had met. Shaking his head to help clear things up, he sits down and eats his meal, wondering if he'll ever get to see her again.

* * *

_10 days later._

It's another day at the Buymore in Burbank, California. Except today people are giving Chuck not-so-subtle looks of sympathy. He appreciates it somewhat but to a degree of feeling creeped out but if he was to be completely honest, he felt fine. Not fine but as if he knows theres someone better for him and he couldn't help think of the woman he met the night before.

"Hey, buddy," his short, bearded best friend greets him.

"Morning, Morgan."

"I take it things didn't end well with you and Hannah?"

"Well, no. But I'm fine." Without needing any more hints, Morgan drops the subject and rambles on about the new Call of Duty.

"Check this out," Morgan starts, "27 snipers, 10 heavy gunners, 16 demolition experts.."

"Yeah, Morgan, that's great," Chuck says as he picks up the phone to call a customer. HIs bearded little friend continues to maunder on and Chuck puts his phone between his head and shoulder as he goes through some documents.

"..and he was like 'No, you can't poss'-Who is that?" He hears Morgan gasp in awe, thinking he's just perving on someone new, Chuck chooses to let it slide. "Vick Vale?" With that, Chuck sings his song.

"Vicky Vale, Vi-Vick, Vi-VIcky Vale. Vickity Vickity Vicky Vale.."

"Chuck," a sharp whisper from Morgan hushes him and Chuck looks up for a split second. _Oh, hello._ His head snaps back up in record time as he recognizes the stranger in front of him. _Sweet Jesus._

"I hope I'm not interrupting," she says in a teasing voice. Trying to regain some of whatever dignity he has left, Chuck tries to offer a reply, only coming it out in stutters.

Coughing, he tries again, "No, not at all," _Okay, well done, "_it's from Batman, actually."

She gives him a skeptical look and he knows it was the wrong thing to say. "'Because that makes it better." Chuck laughs it off and theres an awkward pause.

"I'm Morgan and this is Chuck," his buddy saves in. Morgan raises his eyebrows at Chuck, as if signal him.

"Right, right, yes. How can I help you..."

"Sarah," she fills in. _What a pretty name._

"Sarah?"

She reaches into her bag and pulls out her phone, laying it on the counter top, she says. "Yeah, well, I need help with this."

Relaxing a bit with the familiarity of the situation, Chuck assures her it was no problem to fix and mends her cell. "Good as new," he hands it back to her with a smile.

"Oh, that was quick!" She says in surprise. "You guys are good." Chuck shrugs nonchalantly but secretly doing a little happy dance inside. "Listen, Chuck," she drawls, "I'm sorta new in town and I was wondering..."

"Oh, welcome!" He shoots Morgan a penetrating look and the gnome rushes off.

"Thanks, I was wondering if you wouldn't mind showing me around?" _Oh Lord have mercy upon my soul. _

"Umm, wha-what about your umm boyfriend?"

She narrows her eyes for a split second, "Boyfriend?" He nods hesitantly. "Oh! You mean Danny," her features relaxed and Chuck thought she looked a little bit relieved. "That's my half brother."

_Half Brother?_ They looked nothing a like which explains the half bit. Chuck gave a mental sigh of ease. "Oh I get you. Then what brings you two to LA?"

"Umm, he's sort of an actor back in DC," she starts.

"Sort of?" Chuck inquires.

Giving a grin, she continues, "Yeah, well, one director told him off about only having one face. So here he is trying to take some classes. God knows he needs it." They share a short laugh but Chuck can't help but wonder.

"And you're here because...?"

With a shrug of her shoulders, she looks at him through hooded eyes. "Just needed a change. I had a lot of baggage to carry back in DC and needed a new start." Chuck gives her his full megawatt smile and thought of himself to be the luckiest guy on Earth.

"Well, I could be you're very own baggage handler." It slips without notice and again, he mentally slaps himself with the overly cheesy lines. To make things worse, she arches her eye brows with a smirk.

"Baggage handler?"

He can feel the heat creeping up his neck, giving him an adorable tint of red on his cheeks. "Umm, yeah, sorry. I never know what to say around women like you." With that Sarah gives a much more appreciative smile.

"I'm just glad you didn't say something like 'My baggage is contained in your baggage.'" They both burst out in laughter from the idiotic pick up line. When she's ready to get going, she hands him her card.

"Call me," she says and sashays her way out of the store. Leaving a very happy yet confused Chuck and a proud Morgan behind in the store.

_13 months later._

"Hey, Chuck?" Morgan starts, "when you first saw Sarah, was it love at first sight?"

He took a beat to think about it. "I don't know, buddy. But whatever it was, it changed my life forever."

_A/N: Yes, I know it sucked. This is what happens when you rush things. Thank you, Amy. LOL :) _


End file.
